[Verse 1]
One day a friend took me aside, said, "I have to leave ya
For buying something from a friend, they say I've done wrong
For protecting the name of a man, they say I'll have to leave ya
So now that I'm bidding you farewell for much too long"

[Chorus]
And here's a song to sing for every man inside
If he can hear you sing, it's an open door
There's not a rich man there who couldn't pay his way
And buy the freedom that's a high price for the poor

[Post-Chorus]
Kids in Texas smoking grass, ten year sentence comes to pass
"Misdemeanor in Ann Arbor", ask the judges, "Why?"

[Verse 2]
Another friend said to the kid, "I'm gonna have to leave ya
For selling something to the man, guess I did wrong
Know I did the best I could I'm gonna have to leave ya
So now I'm kissing you farewell for much too long"

[Chorus]
And here's a song to sing for every man inside
If he can hear you sing, it's an open door
There's not a rich man there who couldn't pay his way
And buy the freedom that's a high price for the poor